Brandon Moreno facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Brandon Moreno |
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Moreno in 2021
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| Born | Brandon Moreno Carrillo December 7, 1993 Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico |
| Other names | The Assassin Baby |
| Residence | Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. |
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) |
| Weight | 125 lb (57 kg; 8.9 st) |
| Division | Flyweight (2014–present) Bantamweight (2011–2014) |
| Reach | 70 in (178 cm) |
| Fighting out of | Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico |
| Team | Entram Gym (2006–2022) Bang Muay Thai Team Elevation Glory MMA & Fitness (2022) Fortis MMA (2022–present) |
| Rank | Black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Raúl Arvizu |
| Years active | 2011–present |
| Mixed martial arts record | |
| Total | 32 |
| Wins | 22 |
| By knockout | 5 |
| By submission | 11 |
| By decision | 6 |
| Losses | 8 |
| By decision | 8 |
| Draws | 2 |
Brandon Moreno Carrillo (born December 7, 1993) is a professional mixed martial artist from Mexico. He is known for competing in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Brandon has been the UFC Flyweight Champion two times. He is also the first Mexican fighter to ever win a UFC championship. He started his professional career in 2011. Moreno was also the Legacy Fighting Alliance Flyweight Champion. As of early 2024, he is ranked #2 in the UFC flyweight division.
Contents
Brandon Moreno's MMA Journey
How Brandon Started in MMA
Brandon Moreno grew up loving boxing. He didn't know much about other combat sports at first. Later, he became interested in capoeira, a Brazilian martial art. He couldn't find a capoeira school in his city. While looking, he found an MMA gym. There, he started training in kickboxing and jiu-jitsu.
Early Fights and Championships
Moreno had his first professional MMA fight in Mexico in April 2011. For the next two years, he won 6 fights and lost 3.
In 2014, Brandon joined the World Fighting Federation. He won all five of his fights there. He also won their Flyweight championship. This success helped him get a spot on The Ultimate Fighter TV show.
The Ultimate Fighter TV Show
In July 2016, Brandon Moreno joined The Ultimate Fighter: Tournament of Champions. This is a reality TV show where fighters compete. He was part of Team Benavidez. In his first fight on the show, he lost to Alexandre Pantoja.
Joining the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)
Even though his season of The Ultimate Fighter was still on TV, Brandon made his UFC debut. He fought Louis Smolka on October 1, 2016. Moreno won the fight in the first round by submission. This win also earned him a "Performance of the Night" bonus award.
For his second UFC fight, Moreno faced Ryan Benoit on December 3, 2016. He won this fight by a split decision. Most sports reporters thought Moreno clearly won the fight.
Moreno then fought Dustin Ortiz on April 22, 2017. He won by submission in the second round. He received another "Performance of the Night" bonus for this win.
Brandon Moreno faced Sergio Pettis on August 5, 2017. He lost this fight by a unanimous decision. After the fight, a test showed a substance called clenbuterol in his system. However, the USADA found that it was likely from contaminated meat he ate in Mexico. So, Brandon was not punished.
Moreno was supposed to fight Ray Borg in April 2018. But the fight was canceled because Borg was hurt by glass from a bus window. The fight was rescheduled for May 2018. However, Borg had to withdraw again to care for his child. Alexandre Pantoja stepped in to fight Moreno instead. Moreno lost this fight by unanimous decision. In 2019, Brandon shared that he was cut from the UFC in late 2018.
Fighting in Legacy Fighting Alliance
After leaving the UFC, Moreno signed with the Legacy Fighting Alliance. He made his debut there on June 7, 2019. He fought Maikel Perez for the Flyweight Championship. Moreno won the fight by technical knockout in the fourth round. He became the LFA Flyweight Champion.
Brandon's Return to the UFC
Moreno returned to the UFC on September 21, 2019. He fought a new fighter named Askar Askarov. Their fight was very close and ended in a split draw.
Next, Moreno faced Kai Kara-France on December 14, 2019. He won this fight by unanimous decision.
Moreno then fought Jussier Formiga on March 14, 2020. He won by unanimous decision.
As part of a new contract, Moreno was set to fight Alex Perez. But another fighter, Cody Garbrandt, got injured. So, Alex Perez moved to fight for the UFC Flyweight Championship. Brandon Moreno instead fought Brandon Royval. Moreno won this fight by technical knockout in the first round.
Becoming UFC Flyweight Champion
Just three weeks after his last fight, Moreno got a chance to fight for the UFC Flyweight Championship. He faced Deiveson Figueiredo on December 12, 2020. After five exciting rounds, the fight was declared a majority draw. This means the judges couldn't agree on a clear winner. Both fighters earned a "Fight of the Night" award.
Moreno and Figueiredo had a rematch for the UFC Flyweight Championship on June 12, 2021. Moreno was excellent in this fight. He won by submission in the third round. He became the first Mexican UFC champion! This victory earned him a "Performance of the Night" award.
They fought a third time for the UFC Flyweight Championship on January 22, 2022. Moreno lost this fight and his title by unanimous decision. This fight also earned them a "Fight of the Night" award.
Moreno then faced Kai Kara-France again for the interim UFC Flyweight Championship on July 30, 2022. He won the fight by TKO in the third round. This win also earned him another "Fight of the Night" award.
A historic fourth fight between Moreno and Deiveson Figueiredo for the undisputed UFC Flyweight Championship happened on January 21, 2023. This was the first time two fighters in UFC history fought each other four times. Moreno won the fight by technical knockout. The doctor stopped the fight before the fourth round because Figueiredo's eye was too swollen.
Moreno faced Alexandre Pantoja in a rematch on July 8, 2023. Moreno lost his title by a split decision. This fight earned him a "Fight of the Night" award.
After the Championship
Moreno was scheduled to fight Amir Albazi on February 24, 2024. But Albazi got a neck injury. So, Brandon Royval stepped in to fight Moreno again. Moreno lost this close fight by split decision.
Moreno and Amir Albazi were rescheduled to fight on November 2, 2024. Moreno won this fight by unanimous decision.
Brandon Moreno's Grappling Career
Moreno also competes in submission grappling. He took part in the first Combat Jiu-Jitsu Fight Night on February 22, 2019. He won his first two matches. In the final, he lost in overtime.
Brandon's Life Outside the Ring
Brandon Moreno loves collecting Funko Pop figures. He is also a big fan of Lego and collects sets. He and his wife have three daughters.
Brandon also hosts a podcast about MMA in Spanish called Entre Asaltos.
Brandon Moreno's Achievements
Mixed Martial Arts
- Ultimate Fighting Championship
- UFC Flyweight Championship (Two times)
- He was the first Mexican champion in UFC history.
- Interim UFC Flyweight Championship (One time)
- Fight of the Night (Four times)
- Performance of the Night (Three times)
- UFC Honors Awards
- 2021: Won "Fan's Choice Submission of the Year" for his win against Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC 263.
- UFC Flyweight Championship (Two times)
- World Fighting Federation
- WFF Flyweight Champion (One time)
- Legacy Fighting Alliance
- LFA Flyweight Championship (One time)
- MMAjunkie.com
- 2020 December Fight of the Month (vs. Deiveson Figueiredo)
- 2021 June Submission of the Month (vs. Deiveson Figueiredo)
- 2022 January Fight of the Month (vs. Deiveson Figueiredo)
- World MMA Awards
- 2021 "Breakthrough Fighter of the Year"
- 2021 "Fight of the Year" (vs. Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC 256)
- 2021 "Fighting Spirit of the Year" (for his journey from being cut to becoming a champion)
Submission Grappling
- EBI Combat Jiu-Jitsu
- Combat Jiu-Jitsu Fight Night 1 bantamweight tournament - 2nd place
Mixed martial arts record
| Professional record breakdown | ||
| 32 matches | 22 wins | 8 losses |
| By knockout | 5 | 0 |
| By submission | 11 | 0 |
| By decision | 6 | 8 |
| Draws | 2 | |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 22–8–2 | Amir Albazi | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Moreno vs. Albazi | November 2, 2024 | 5 | 5:00 | Edmonton, Alberta, Canada | |
| Loss | 21–8–2 | Brandon Royval | Decision (split) | UFC Fight Night: Moreno vs. Royval 2 | February 24, 2024 | 5 | 5:00 | Mexico City, Mexico | |
| Loss | 21–7–2 | Alexandre Pantoja | Decision (split) | UFC 290 | July 8, 2023 | 5 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Lost the UFC Flyweight Championship. Fight of the Night. |
| Win | 21–6–2 | Deiveson Figueiredo | TKO (doctor stoppage) | UFC 283 | January 21, 2023 | 3 | 5:00 | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Won and unified the UFC Flyweight Championship. |
| Win | 20–6–2 | Kai Kara-France | TKO (body kick and punches) | UFC 277 | July 30, 2022 | 3 | 4:34 | Dallas, Texas, United States | Won the interim UFC Flyweight Championship. Fight of the Night. |
| Loss | 19–6–2 | Deiveson Figueiredo | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 270 | January 22, 2022 | 5 | 5:00 | Anaheim, California, United States | Lost the UFC Flyweight Championship. Fight of the Night. |
| Win | 19–5–2 | Deiveson Figueiredo | Submission (rear-naked choke) | UFC 263 | June 12, 2021 | 3 | 2:26 | Glendale, Arizona, United States | Won the UFC Flyweight Championship. Performance of the Night. |
| Draw | 18–5–2 | Deiveson Figueiredo | Draw (majority) | UFC 256 | December 12, 2020 | 5 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | For the UFC Flyweight Championship. Figueiredo was deducted one point in round 3 due to a groin strike. Fight of the Night. |
| Win | 18–5–1 | Brandon Royval | TKO (punches) | UFC 255 | November 21, 2020 | 1 | 4:59 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 17–5–1 | Jussier Formiga | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Lee vs. Oliveira | March 14, 2020 | 3 | 5:00 | Brasília, Brazil | |
| Win | 16–5–1 | Kai Kara-France | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 245 | December 14, 2019 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Draw | 15–5–1 | Askar Askarov | Draw (split) | UFC Fight Night: Rodríguez vs. Stephens | September 21, 2019 | 3 | 5:00 | Mexico City, Mexico | |
| Win | 15–5 | Maikel Pérez | TKO (punches) | LFA 69 | June 7, 2019 | 4 | 1:54 | Cabazon, California, United States | Won the vacant LFA Flyweight Championship. |
| Loss | 14–5 | Alexandre Pantoja | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Maia vs. Usman | May 19, 2018 | 3 | 5:00 | Santiago, Chile | |
| Loss | 14–4 | Sergio Pettis | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Pettis vs. Moreno | August 5, 2017 | 5 | 5:00 | Mexico City, Mexico | |
| Win | 14–3 | Dustin Ortiz | Technical Submission (rear-naked choke) | UFC Fight Night: Swanson vs. Lobov | April 22, 2017 | 2 | 4:06 | Nashville, Tennessee, United States | Performance of the Night. |
| Win | 13–3 | Ryan Benoit | Decision (split) | The Ultimate Fighter: Tournament of Champions Finale | December 3, 2016 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 12–3 | Louis Smolka | Submission (guillotine choke) | UFC Fight Night: Lineker vs. Dodson | October 1, 2016 | 1 | 2:23 | Portland, Oregon, United States | Performance of the Night. |
| Win | 11–3 | Isaac Camarillo | Submission (rear-naked choke) | World Fighting Federation 27 | April 16, 2016 | 1 | 1:53 | Tucson, Arizona, United States | Defended the WFF Flyweight Championship. |
| Win | 10–3 | Tyler Bialeck | Submission (rear-naked choke) | World Fighting Federation 22 | July 25, 2015 | 1 | 3:09 | Tucson, Arizona, United States | Defended the WFF Flyweight Championship. |
| Win | 9–3 | Matt Betzold | Decision (unanimous) | World Fighting Federation 18 | February 7, 2015 | 3 | 5:00 | Chandler, Arizona, United States | Defended the WFF Flyweight Championship. |
| Win | 8–3 | C.J. Soliven | Submission (rear-naked choke) | World Fighting Federation 16 | September 20, 2014 | 1 | 0:58 | Chandler, Arizona, United States | Flyweight debut. Won the vacant WFF Flyweight Championship. |
| Win | 7–3 | Alex Contreras | Submission (triangle choke) | World Fighting Federation 14 | June 28, 2014 | 3 | 1:04 | Chandler, Arizona, United States | |
| Win | 6–3 | Paul Amaro | Submission (rear-naked choke) | MEZ Sports: Pandemonium 9 | July 26, 2013 | 2 | 3:01 | Mission Viejo, California, United States | |
| Win | 5–3 | Jason Carbajal | TKO (punches) | MEZ Sports: Pandemonium 8 | March 23, 2013 | 3 | 1:52 | Pomona, California, United States | |
| Win | 4–3 | Jesse Cruz | Decision (split) | Xplode Fight Series: Anarchy | September 22, 2012 | 3 | 3:00 | Valley Center, California, United States | |
| Loss | 3–3 | Brenson Hansen | Decision (unanimous) | CITC 11: Xtreme Couture vs. Southern California | July 28, 2012 | 3 | 5:00 | Biloxi, Mississippi, United States | |
| Win | 3–2 | Jonathan Carter | Submission (armbar) | Xplode Fight Series: Hunted | May 19, 2012 | 1 | 1:15 | Valley Center, California, United States | |
| Loss | 2–2 | Ron Scolesdang | Decision (unanimous) | MEZ Sports: Pandemonium 6 | March 3, 2012 | 3 | 5:00 | Riverside, California, United States | |
| Win | 2–1 | Luis Garcia | Submission (armbar) | UWC Mexico: New Blood 1 | January 29, 2012 | 1 | 2:21 | Tijuana, Mexico | |
| Loss | 1–1 | Marco Beristain | Decision (unanimous) | UWC Mexico 10: To the Edge | June 25, 2011 | 3 | 5:00 | Tijuana, Mexico | |
| Win | 1–0 | Atiq Jihad | Submission (armbar) | UWC Mexico 9.5: Iguana | April 30, 2011 | 1 | 2:30 | Tijuana, Mexico | Bantamweight debut. |
Mixed martial arts exhibition record
| Exhibition record breakdown | ||
| 1 match | 0 wins | 1 loss |
| By submission | 0 | 1 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 0–1 | Alexandre Pantoja | Submission (rear-naked choke) | The Ultimate Fighter: Tournament of Champions | August 31, 2016 | 2 | 3:44 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | TUF 24 Round of 16 |
*Date given is the air date of the episode. The actual dates of the fight are not released by the UFC
Pay-per-view bouts
| No | Event | Fight | Date | Venue | City | PPV buys |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | UFC 256 | Figueiredo vs. Moreno | December 12, 2020 | UFC Apex | Enterprise, Nevada, United States | Not Disclosed |
See also
- List of current UFC fighters
- List of male mixed martial artists
